Maggette Gets Banged Up

PHOENIX — Clipper guard Corey Maggette drove toward the basket early in the third quarter Tuesday, drew a foul and hit the floor with a thud that reverberated around America West Arena.

The Clippers gasped.

Maggette, already nursing a sore knee, made one of two free throws, then made a quick exit. He suffered a hip pointer and a bruised elbow from his crash landing and did not play again in the Clippers’ 96-92 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Maggette joined an expanding list of wounded Clippers. Lamar Odom played despite a heavily taped right wrist, the result of a fall Sunday against the Detroit Pistons. Eric Piatkowski could not play for the eighth game in the last nine because of a strained right hip flexor. Keyon Dooling has been on the injured list since Nov. 15 because of a sprained left ankle.

Despite getting into foul trouble, Odom finished with eight points, eight rebounds and 10 assists Tuesday. Maggette had 17 points on six-of-seven shooting in 24 minutes. He had missed nine of 10 shots in each of his last two games.

With Odom on the bench late in the game with five fouls and Maggette unavailable, Coach Alvin Gentry had to go with point guard Jeff McInnis and pint-sized backup Earl Boykins. McInnis drew a tough defensive assignment, having to guard Phoenix’s Penny Hardaway for a time.

Of Odom, Gentry said, “He played with one arm tonight.”

The Clippers have three days to rest before playing the Sacramento Kings on Saturday at Staples Center.

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The Clippers ended a 12-game losing streak to the Suns with a victory last season in Phoenix. They ended a six-game road losing streak to start this season Tuesday. They also have won both games this season against the Suns. ... For the record, center Michael Olowokandi’s 13 rebounds Sunday against Detroit were a season high rather than a career high.